


Nobody Ever Said That Parenthood was Easy

by JetGirl1832, tomatopudding



Series: Family is Everything [2]
Category: Jersey Boys - Gaudio/Crewe/Brickman/Elice
Genre: Alternate Universe- Modern Setting - Freeform, Family Drama, Family Feels, Fatherhood, First Time Parents, Gen, M/M, Parenthood, Temper Tantrums, stepparents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2016-10-05
Packaged: 2018-08-19 18:33:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8220775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JetGirl1832/pseuds/JetGirl1832, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomatopudding/pseuds/tomatopudding
Summary: Bob had been dreading this moment, he knew it was going to happen. But he and Francine will get through it, it will just take some time.





	

**Author's Note:**

> We're back... After a very, very, very, long hiatus. But we're back!

The blow up had been a long time coming. Bob had been waiting with baited breath for the moment that Francine would stop being so calm about the strange turn her life had taken. Frankie hadn't seen it, of course. He didn't believe that those harsh emotions were hiding inside Francine. So naturally it happened on a night when Frankie was out working.

 

Things had been alright during the day, they'd taken Francine out shopping for school supplies and she's had a blast choosing the perfect fairy pencil case, but then Frankie had gotten called in. It was a club in Manhattan, so he had to leave before dinner in order to get there in time for a sound check with the band.

 

Bob couldn't help but notice that Francine was being rather quiet, she was quite the chatter box when she wanted to be but right now that was not the case.

 

"Francine?" Bob spoke up to get her attention, the little girl looked at him, "do you know what you want for dinner?"

 

"Why did Daddy have to go?" Francine asked.

 

"Daddy has work," Bob explained. This answer did not seem to satisfy Francine who frowned.

 

"But why?" she prodded, "You do work from your room."

 

"Because Daddy's work is a little different," Bob started.

 

Francine was having none of it and made a noise of protest. Bob held in a sigh.

 

"He'll be home before you know it," Bob assured her, "Tell you what, why don't we have spaghetti for dinner? We've got just enough meatballs left."

 

Francine wasn't thrilled about the lack of Frankie, but spaghetti and meatballs were her very favorite meal. The little girl sighed but she didn't say now, Bob figured this was the closest he was going to get to a yes for tonight.

 

Bob reigned in his own frustration--it wouldn't help for him to get upset--and started putting together the meal. Francine sat at the kitchen table, but her petulance was almost palpable, thickening the air. He thought vaguely about calling Tommy because the girl seemed to love him, but talked himself out of it. He needed to get through this night himself.

 

"Francine?" Bob spoke up, "how many meatballs do you want?"

 

When she didn't answer, he turned to face her and Francine shrugged sullenly. 

  
  
"Francine," Bob sighed.    
  
"Three," she said, but she didn't sound happy about it.

 

Bob started boiling noodles and grabbed the meatballs from the fridge glancing at Francine who sat there with her head propped on her hands. 

 

"Do you want to watch a movie after dinner?" Bob asked, injecting some cheer into his voice, "We have some videos, but we might need to find something on TV instead."

 

"Okay..." Francine muttered still not making eye contact.

  
  
Bob shook his head and continued with dinner.

 

When everything was finished, he set it in front of Francine. She glared down at it. 

  
  
"What is it?" Bob asked gently. 

  
  
"Mommy used to cut up my meatballs," she complained.

 

Bob sighed but tried to appear too frustrated, "Okay," he picked up the fork and got a knife and began to cut the meatballs into pieces.

 

"No!" Francine shrieked.

  
  
Bob froze, "What's wrong?"

  
  
"You're doing it wrong," Francine pouted.

 

"What's the right way?" asked Bob patiently. 

  
  
"Those pieces are too small," she complained, "They need to be cut into quarters."

 

For the last two meatballs Bob carefully cut Francine's meatballs into quarters. There were no more complaints from the little girl as she silently are her meal.

 

Bob kept covertly glancing at Francine, hoping that getting some food in her would help her mood, but she continued to pout even as she cleaned her bowl. 

  
  
"Movie?" Bob asked, taking the empty dish. 

  
  
"Whatever," grumbled Francine.

 

Bob grabbed the plates and rinsed them off before putting them in the dishwasher. Francine slid of her chair and settled herself into the couch clutching one of the throw pillows.

 

Dinner was only the beginning of the problems.

 

Bob tried to his best to find a movie that Francine would watch but he was having no luck. Everything was either too old for her or she just didn't want to watch it. He finally settled on some kids cartoon and she sat there frowning throughout the duration of it.

 

After that, Francine demanded dessert and then descended into a full-blown tantrum when Bob apparently didn't scoop the ice cream the right way. No matter what Bob did, no matter how gently he talked, no matter how many times he asked Francine what was wrong, she simply continued to wail.    


  
"Stop trying to be my mommy!" Francine finally shouted, her eyes red and her face wet from tears, "You're not my mommy! I hate you!"

  
  
Bob could only stand in shock as the girl ran to her bedroom and pushed the door shut with a bang. 

 

Bob massaged his temples, not sure of what else he could do. He sank down onto the couch, pressing the heels of his hands into his forehead. Of course what Francine said had hurt, the last thing he wanted was for her to hate him and he certainly didn't want her to feel like he was trying to replace Mary, as much as he wasn't Mary's biggest fan. 

 

"What am I going to do?" Bob sighed.

  
  
"Hello?"

  
  
Frankie had come home, what was he going to say?

  
  
"Bobby?"

 

Despite his best efforts, Bob felt tears pricking at the corners of his eyes and tried to blink them away. 

  
  
"Bobby," Frankie said again, concern lacing his voice. 

  
  
Almost instantly, he was kneeling in front of his partner, cradling Bob's face in his hands. 

  
  
"Hey," he said softly, "What is it? What's wrong?"

  
  
"I can't do this," Bob whispered, "I just can't. Nothing I do is right. She hates me, she thinks I'm trying to be Mary and I'm not. I just want to take care of her, to help you take care of her. Does that really make me a bad person?"

 

It suddenly clicked, "This is about Francine," Frankie sighed.

  
  
"I don't know what to do," Bob sighed, "I was never any good at this..."

 

"I'm sure she doesn't really hate you," assured Frankie, "No matter what she says. She's just a little girl who's life has been completely turned upside down."

  
  
"I know that, of course I know that," said Bob, "I just wish I knew how to make her feel better. I'm doing my best, Frankie. The best that I know how to do."

  
  
"I know," murmured Frankie, "Come on, let's go talk to her, okay?"

  
  
Bob let out a shuddering breath but agreed. Frankie knocked lightly on Francine's door, but there was no response. When he peeked into the room, he saw her sprawled on the bed. She had obviously cried herself out and was asleep, her breaths still slightly rough and tear tracks still evident on her flushed cheeks.

 

  
"Come on let's go to bed," Frankie sighed, "we'll take care of it in the morning."

 

Bob didn't sleep particularly well and when he woke up the first thing he saw was Francine's face, her eyes wide and worried. 

  
  
"Bobby," she whispered. 

  
  
Bob covered a wide yawn and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. 

  
  
"Francine," he murmured, "What..."

 

"I'm sorry," Francine sniffled before throwing her arms around him.

  
  
Bob blinked unsure of what to do.

  
  
"I'm really, really sorry," Francine buried her head against his chest.

 

He murmured the first thing that came to mind. "Oh, sweetie."

  
  
She sniffled and he carefully extracted an arm from his blankets, resting his hand on her back. 

 

"Mommy and I used to cuddle when I was sad," Francine rubbed at her eyes.

  
  
"That I can do," Bob smiled, "c'mere."   
  


 

Francine crawled into the bed. He expected her to climb over him to be nearer to Frankie, so Bob was surprised when Francine stayed on the edge and curled into him, resting her head on his shoulder. 

  
  
"Are you sad, Francine?" Bob asked in a hushed tone, "Living here with us?"

  
  
"No," answered Francine honestly, "Sometimes I just miss Mommy."

  
  
"And it's okay to miss your mommy," Bob assured, absently stroking Francine's sleep-messy hair, "I'm not trying to be her or to make you forget her. I just want to make your time with your daddy better."

  
  
"I know," Francine said, her voice a low mumble as she began drifting back to sleep, "I'm not just here with Daddy. I'm here with you too."   


**Author's Note:**

> June 2001  
> Francine- 7


End file.
